PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 3-Feb-2014 Contact: Vicki Bendure vicki@bendurepr.com 202-374-9259 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine In a study to be presented on Feb. 6 at 2:45 p.m. CST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in New Orleans, researchers will report that a variant in SERPINE1, a gene involved in inflammation and blood clotting, is associated with cerebral palsy and death in very preterm babies. This gene has been associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy in one previous study of preterm babies. Previous genetic studies of very preterm babies have suggested several genetic variations that might predispose to brain injury and developmental problems. However, different studies have had different results. This study, titled Genetic Predisposition to Adverse Neurodevelopmental Outcome After Early Preterm Birth: A Validation Analysis, was a collaborative effort between the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units and Neonatal Research Networks. Researchers evaluated two different populations of very early preterm births (earlier than 32 weeks) with the goal of confirming the same genetic risk factors in both groups. The first population of preterm births was enrolled in a large Neonatal Research Network study, and the other group was of births that were enrolled in a … Continue reading →

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) February 02, 2014 Stem cell research and experimentation has been in process for well over five decades, as stem cells have the unique ability to divide and replicate repeatedly. In addition, their unspecialized nature allows them to differentiate into a wide variety of specialized cell types. The possibilities arising from these characteristics have caused great commercial interest, with potential applications ranging from the use of stem cells in reversal or treatment of disease, to targeted cell therapy, tissue regeneration, pharmacological testing on cell-specific tissues, and more. Diseases such as Huntingtons Chorea, Parkinsons Disease, and spinal cord injuries are examples of clinical applications in which stem cells could offer benefits in halting or even reversing damage. Traditionally, scientists have worked with both embryonic and adult stem cells as research tools. While the appeal of embryonic cells has been their ability to differentiate into any type of cell, there has been significant ethical, moral and spiritual controversy surrounding their use for research purposes. Although some adult stem cells do have differentiation capacity, it is often limited in nature, which creates narrow options for use. Thus, induced pluripotent stem cells sector (http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/206575-complete-2012-13-induced-pluripotent-stem-cell-industry-report.html) represent a promising combination of adult and embryonic … Continue reading →

Researchers make stem cell discovery by studying tissue stress and repair For many years scientists have been investigating how to make adult stem cells act more like embryonic stem cells. A new simple treatment seems to have helpe... By: PBS NewsHour … Continue reading →